


Truth or Davey

by CraveyQueen1



Category: Newsies, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: M/M, Nineties, Party, Truth or Dare, predating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2015-10-19
Packaged: 2018-04-27 01:51:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5029111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CraveyQueen1/pseuds/CraveyQueen1





	Truth or Davey

As Mush gulped down the glass of vinegar and mustard, Davey wondered why he had come to this party. Still, he joined in the cheering. Mush finished the glass. For a second he held his fist in front of his mouth and everyone froze when they saw his cheeks bulge. 

Mush slammed the glass on the coffee table with a gulp and the crowd went wild.

“Alright, my man!” Race reached down from where he sat on the back of the couch behind Mush to give him a proud shoulder shake. “Who’s next?”

“Davey hasn’t gone yet,” said Jack.

All eyes flew to Davey. He stared at the hyenas, backing him against the wall.

He looked to Jack, who shrugged.

“Sure.” Davey sat up from where he was on the floor.

“Truth or Dare?” asked Romeo.

“Shouldn’t Mush ask?”

Mush stood up. “Man, I’m getting mouth wash.” He walked out of the living room.

“Truth or dare?” asked Romeo.

“Truth.”

“What’s the answers to Friday’s Data Management homework?”

Davey snickered. “What? I don’t know.”

“You didn’t do it?”

“I did it, I didn’t memorize the answers.”

“Then you have to do a dare.”

Davey remembered the chunky liquid and its residue in Mush’s glass. “Sure.”

“Call Crutchie-”

“What?” asked Davey, his mouth was drier than the bread Les had tried baking his family a week before. “He’s sick. We shouldn’t bug him.”

“He’s not gonna be mean. It’s Crutchie.” Romeo reached to the side table and took the Kelly’s phone from its holder. “Call Crutchie and ask him on a date.”

“You didn’t-” Davey curled into himself as he caught the phone by his stomach. “You didn’t say that part.”

“You didn’t let me finish.”

“I-” Davey could feel the eager eyes on him and the spark of curiosity scratching at the insides of his chest. “I...” Davey slipped into wondering if he’d been waiting too long. If this was the moment to stop standing still. “What’s his number? Wait.” Davey reached for his backpack. His hands felt disconnected from his body as he unzipped the front pocket and pulled out his address book. He flipped to the right page and punched the number under ‘Crutchie Morris’ into the phone. He tilted the book towards him as if everyone would be able to see the care he’d taken while writing this name and number. He hit ‘call’ and held the phone to his ear. He heard the ring of the phone and the pulse beating in his ear.

“Hello?”said a woman's voice from the other line.

“Ms. Morris?”

“David? Is that you?”

“Yes. Can I talk to Crutchie, please?”

“He’s still pretty sick.”

“It’ll just be a second. Please.”

“Alright, I’ll get him. I’m sure talking to you won’t make him feel worse.”

“Thank you.”

Davey cupped a hand over the receiver. “His mom’s getting him.”

“Put it on speaker,” whispered Specs.

Davey shook his head. Specs took the phone and set it to speaker before putting it on the coffee table. Everyone stared at the phone in silence.

“Hey?” said Crutchie from the other end. “....Dave?”

“Hey," said Davey. "Are you feeling better?”

“I only threw up once in the last three hours.”

“That’s good.”

“Is that why you called?”

“I have a question.”

“Yeah?”

Regret and dread washed over Davey. His head was too light and too hot. He wanted to run.

“Dave?”

Davey hid his eyes behind his hands. “Do you want to go out with me?!”

The next three seconds were the longest of Davey's life.

“I- yeah.”

Davey lifted his head. “Wait, really?”

Everyone looked at each other. Romeo looked pleased.

“Yeah.” Crutchie snorted. “I can’t believe I just told you about the vomit thing.”

“Yeah.” Davey let out a breathy laugh as minutes and months of anxiety washed away.

“So-”

Jack was laughing.

It was quiet on the other end. “Who’s that?”

“Oh man,” said Jack, he coughed. “It was a dare!”

Crutchie made a noise like he’d been hit in the stomach. Davey felt like he’d been hit in the stomach. There was a beep as the other end disconnected.

There were seconds where the quiet in the room seemed too thick to be broken.

“What?” asked Jack.

Davey grabbed the phone and redialed the number. With every ring his pulse quickened. He heard the start of the Morris’ answering machine and set the phone on the floor. He stared straight ahead.

Everyone was watching Davey.

Mush walked in. "Hey guys, why's it so quiet?"

Davey stood up, picked up his windbreaker and backpack and ran for the door.

"What'd I miss?" asked Mush.

Once he was in his van Davey went for the car phone. Pulling away the receiver, he remembered the sibling related incident that caused the cord to be attached to the car, not the phone. 

He threw his stuff in the back seat, slammed the door, put on his seatbelt, started the car and drove off into the night.


End file.
